A lawsuit has been filed against the former football coach of Rockwall-Heath High School for allegedly injuring over two dozen student-athletes during workouts.
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Ex-Rockwall-Heath HS football coach John Harrell and a dozen assistant coaches have been sued by a parent over a workout.
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The lawsuit claims 26 students were injured after being forced to do hundreds of push-ups.
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Harrell resigned in 2023.
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Ex-Rockwall-Heath HS football coach John Harrell and a dozen assistant coaches have been sued by a parent over a workout.
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The lawsuit claims 26 students were injured after being forced to do hundreds of push-ups.
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Harrell resigned in 2023.
Rockwall, Texas:John Harrell, the former football coach of her son, and twelve assistant coaches are being sued by a parent of a Rockwall-Heath high school student. According to the lawsuit, her son was punished by being admitted to the hospital for injuries he sustained during strenuous exercise.
According to the lawsuit, the athletes were required to perform about 400 push-ups in an hour without any breaks or drinks.
“Coach Harrell wrote the program that said any little infraction for all sorts of different reasons would result in these push-ups,” said Mike Sawicki, the lawyer for the mother who brought the lawsuit.
The lawsuit claims that at least 26 athletes experienced symptoms or were diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis—a breakdown of muscle tissue that releases a harmful protein into the blood—after the training session.
“A condition that results from over-exercise or over-work or over-stress of the body,” Sawicki explained. “Untreated it can cause kidney failure, it can cause more significant damage to the muscles.”
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According to the lady bringing the most recent action, her son was hospitalized for seven days.
“The issue here is that there is a genuine risk of injury. It’s not that I’m exhausted from running some sprints, or that I stubbed my toe. You can’t just tough it out because this is a potentially life-altering, long-term injury,” Sawicki said.
Coach Harrell was placed on administrative leave by Rockwall ISD in January 2023 as a result of the accusations. Two months later, the coach quit. There were never any official criminal charges brought.
According to Sawicki, he previously resolved two claims from other parents whose kids participated in the workout against Coach Harrell. This is the first lawsuit to also target the twelve assistant coaches.
According to Sawicki, this is because he discovered that the assistants reportedly played a proactive role. According to the lawyer, the coaches were unaware of the seriousness of what the pupils were being forced to perform.
“I think it s a function of not asking the right questions or ignoring the data that was already out there,” Sawicki said.
The lawsuit claims that the athletic director for Rockwall ISD cautioned coaches against using physical activity as a form of discipline, stating that it “can lead to major legal issues and consequences.”
The law firm that was appointed to look into the claims concluded that the student’s injuries were brought on by the improper exercises.
“The intent allegedly behind all of this was to impart discipline onto the students,” stated Sawicki.
According to the lawsuit, over 26 victims have been identified, but others are too scared to come forward.
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The information in this piece is based on prior FOX 4 reporting, an interview with lawyer Mike Sawicki, and a lawsuit filed in Rockwall County court.
The information in this piece is based on prior FOX 4 reporting, an interview with lawyer Mike Sawicki, and a lawsuit filed in Rockwall County court.
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